Boat-saving device



P 1968 s. v. GERARD! 3,400,684

BOAT-SAVING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1966 INVENTOR. 55941017025 M 6'59420/ United States Patent 3,400,684 BOAT-SAVING DEVICE Salvatore V. Gerardi, 125 E. 67th Way, North Long Beach, Calif. 90805 Filed May 20, 1966, Ser. No. 551,721

' 7 Claims. (Cl. 114-229) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A boat-saving device employing a waterproof synthetic plastic sheet that is normally maintained folded in a stowed position aboard a boat. The waterproof sheet has a front portion and a rear portion, the rear portion being initially overlapped beneath the rear part of the front portion. If the boat develops a leak, the forward sheet portion is initially manipulated into place and secured to thereby resist leakage of the boat hull. Since the rear sheet portion is clear of the boats propulsion machinery the boat may be driven under its own power to a desired location. When the boat reaches a safe location, the rear sheet portion is extended over the aft portion of the boat hull so that the boat may await repairs without danger of sinking.

The present invention relates generally to boating and more particularly to a novel device for preventing a boat from sinking due to hull leakage.

It is a major of the present invention to provide a boatsaving device utilizing a waterproof sheet that is normally maintained folded in a stowed position aboard the boat, with such sheet being unfolded and arranged about the hull of the boat to prevent water from leaking into the boat in the event of hull leakage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a boat-saving device of the aforedescribed nature wherein the Waterproof sheet includes a front portion that encompasses the forward portion of a boat hull and a rear portion that encompasses the aft portion of a boat' hull, part of the rear portion being originally overlapped over the rear of the front portion whereby the rear portion will originally be clear of the propulsion mechanism of the boat and with the rear portion being manipulatable over the aft end of the boat when the propulsion mechanism is at rest.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a boat-saving device of the aforedescribed nature wherein the front portion of the waterproof sheet is initially positioned over the forward portion of a boat hull, with the driving mechanism of the boat exposed whereby a leaking boat may return to port under its own power.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a boat-saving device of the aforedescribed nature that is economical of construction.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a boat-saving device of the aforedescribed nature which is foolproof in operation and simple of design.

These and other objects or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a boat equipped with a preferred embodiment of boat-saving device embodied in the present invention, such device being shown.

positioned on the boat ahead of the boat-propulsion mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing said boat-saving device completely encompassing the hull of the boat;

FIG. 3 is a broken horizontal sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

3,400,684 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 generally designated 14, having a front portion 16 that encompasses the forward portion of the boat hull 10 and a rear portion 18 which covers the portion of the boat hull aft of the rear edge 19 of the forward sheet portion 16. The sheet 14 may be fabricated of any suitable watertight, high tear strength material as, for example, a synthetic plastic such as polyvinyl chloride. As indicated from FIG. 1, 2 and 5, the waterproof sheet 14 has the same general configuration of the boat hull 10 but is of larger dimensions.

The upper portion of the sheet 14 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced tie-down lines 20. As indicated in FIG. 4, each tie-down line 20 extends through a conventional grommet 22 mounted in the upper portion of sheet 14. Preferably, as indicated in FIG. 4, the upper edge of the material from which sheet 14 is formed is overlapped as shown at 24, and a reinforcement element such as a nylon rope 26 is encompassed within the overlapped sheet portion. The overlapped sheet portion 24 is suitably adhered to the main body of such sheet.

The lower portion of the sheet 14 is provided with a plurality of check valves 28 of like construction. The check valves 28 are of conventional construction and are arranged to permit water to flow freely outwardly from between the boat hull 10 and the interior of the sheet 14, but water is restrained from flowing in the opposite direction.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the front part of the rear portion 18 of sheet 14 is overlapped behind the rear section of the front sheet portion 16, such overlapped part being designated 30 in this figure. The length of the overlapped part 30 should be about equal to the distance between the rear edge 32 of sheet 14 and the aft end of the boat B. With continued reference to FIG. 3, the rear edge of the front sheet portion 16 is provided with a flap 34 that is adhered to such rear edge at 36. Flap 34 is proximate to the exterior of the boat hull 10. The rear end of flap 34 and hence the rear sheet portion 18 can be temporarily adhered to the boat hull 10 by means of one or more pressure-sensitive tear strips 38, in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

In the use of the aforedescribed boat-saving device D, the sheet 14 and its tie-down lines 20 will normally be stowed within the boat B in a folded condition, The folded sheet 14 occupies a minimum of space and is easily handled. In this regard the folded sheet 14 may be readily passed from one boat to another as, for example, a rescue boat could transport a folded boat-saving device embodying the present invention to a vessel in distress. Similarly, the boat-saving device of the present invention may be lowered from a helicopter to a boat in distress.

When the boat-saving device D is to be positioned on a leaking boat, the forward sheet portion 16 is first manipulated into place, in the manner indicated in FIG. 1.

Thereafter, the tie-down lines 20 are secured as also indicated in this figure. At this time the rear portion 18 of the sheet 14 will have its front part overlapped in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. After the tie-down lines 20 are secured, the tear strip 38 will be adhered to the exterior of the hull 10. This will serve to retain the overlapped rear portion 18 against the hull. The hull of the boat forward of the driving mechanism 12 will then be completely encompassed so as to resist hull leakage. The boat may now be driven under its own power to a desired location. After the boat reaches a safe mooring or anchorage, the rear sheet section 18 may be extended rearwardly over the aft portion of the hull 10. Thereafter, the tie-lines 20 associated with the rear sheet portion will be secured in the manner indicated in FIG. 3. The check valves 28 permit water trapped between the hull 1t} and the interior of the sheet 14 to be forced outwardly from this space. At the same time these check valves will prevent the inward flow of water to such space. With the sheet 14 completely encompassing the hull 10, the boat may await repairs without danger of sinking.

It should be particularly noted that a sheet of a given length and width will fit several different hull sizes and configurations. This lends the boat-saving device D of the present invention to fabrication by mass production methods, thereby affording a comparatively low cost of production.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made with respect to the aforedescribed detailed description without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a boat hull having propulsion mechanism;

a waterproof sheet having a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion initially being overlapped beneath the rear part of said front portion with the folded-over rear sheet portion initially being disposed forwardly of said propulsion mechanism;

and fastening means initially connecting said sheet to said bull in encompassing relationship with the lower portion and bottom of said hull, the rear end of said rear sheet portion being disposed forwardly of the exposed portion of said propulsion mechanism, said fastening means being manipulatable to later position said rear sheet portion over the aft lower portion and bottom of said hull.

2. A boat-saving device as set forth in claim 1 whcrein said sheet is formed with check valve means that permit outward flow of water from between said sheet and the boat hull but prevent inward flow of water therebetween.

3. A boat-saving device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening means include longitudinally-spaced tiedown lines secured along the upper portion of said sheet.

4. A boat-saving device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rear edge of the front portion of said sheet is provided with a flap proximate to the boat hull, with the rear end of the rear portion of said sheet being disposed between said flap and the front interior of said rear portion; and

wherein the rear of said flap is provided with pressuresensitive tear strips that initially secure said fiat to the boat hull.

5. A boat-saving device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sheet is formed with check valve means that permit outward flow of water from between said sheet and the boat hull but prevent inward flow of water therebetween.

6. A boat-saving device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said fastening means include longitudinally-spaced tiedown lines secured along the upper portion of said sheet.

7. A boat-saving device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said fastening means include longitudinally-spaced tiedown lines secured along the upper portion of said sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 623,961 4/1899 Quimby 114-222 1,070,260 8/1913 Jameson 114229 3,142,283 7/1964 Fisher 114-222 3,183,876 5/1965 Kronhaus 114229 3,205,851 9/1965 Wiswell 1l4222 3,316,012 4/1967 Thier 296-136 FOREIGN PATENTS 790,852 2/ 1958 Great Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

J. MCLAUGHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

